Victor Simon Ortiz
Calipatria High School
CALIPATRIA — While the season for the Calipatria High baseball team came to an end earlier this week, the Hornets helped themselves to two playoff victories last week with help from Victor Simon Ortiz at the plate.
The Hornets won their firstround game of the CIF-San Diego Section Division V tournament with a commanding 33-3 performance over El Cajon Valley before defeating Borrego Springs 8-2 over the weekend.
Against El Cajon Valley, Ortiz finished 3-for-3 with two out-ofthe-park home runs and totaled five RBIs.
“It felt really good,” Ortiz said of his two homers, which came in the same inning. “I just like watching how my teammates react; sometimes they give me the silent treatment.”
The bombs were his fifth and sixth home runs of the season and Ortiz has set a goal of going for 10 next year.
Ortiz, who helps the team behind the plate, on the mound and at the corners, said the victory over El Cajon was a great way to start the playoffs.
“Having home games was really good for us especially because the other teams were from San Diego so they had to travel to us,” he said. MY FAVORITES Pro athlete Giancarlo Stanton Pro team New York Yankees Class Math TV show ESPN Song “M.F.T.R” by Pusha T Musician Kanye West What do you enjoy most about your sport? I like that even if you’re down, there’s always a chance that you can get back in it even if you’re the underdog. What is one of your more memorable moments in your sport? Here at Calipatria High it’d have to be (last week) when I hit two home runs in the same inning against El Cajon Valley. Who inspires you and why? My grandpa. He always wants to see me work hard like my cousin A.J. What are your goals for next season? Hopefully to bat over .500 and hit 10 home runs.
Against Borrego Springs, Ortiz also finished 3-for-3 with a double and two singles and also recorded a single in the Hornets’ 4-1 loss to Hoover on Thursday.
While the loss to Hoover on Thursday and Tuesday of this week ended Ortiz’s junior campaign, he said he was optimistic about next season as the Hornets lose just a couple of players to graduation.
“Hopefully we’ll make another run at CIF and not come up short and bring a title here,” he said.